This invention was the subject matter of Document Disclosure Program Registration No. 237,591 which was filed in the United States Patent and Trademark Office on Oct. 23, 1989.
As can be seen by reference to the following U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,801,295; 4,826,491; 4,842,587; and 4,850,977; the prior art is replete with myriad and diverse hypodermic needle arrangements.
While all of the aforementioned prior art constructions are more than adequate for the basic purpose and function for which they have been specifically designed, these devices do not provide the ease of usage and the selective engagement of the locking mechanism that is embodied in the present invention.
It should further be emphasized that considering the health hazard that is posed by contaminated needles, any systems that allows a needle to be immobilized relative to its sheath after usage represents an advantage to mankind.
As a consequence of the foregoing situation, there has existed a longstanding need for a safe and secure way to render a hypodermic needle inoperative after an injection has taken place. The needle is enclosed within a protective sheath, and the provision of such a construction is a stated objective of the present invention.